The Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) will file a motion asking the Court of Appeals to reconsider its decision to overturn the Temporary Protection Order of a Davao City regional trial court.
“The siege in the KOJC… the violations committed in Davao City… then we feel that RT Davao City has jurisdiction on the matter and we are filing an MR, a motion for reconsideration, so as to give the CA a chance to take a second look into its resolution,” KOJC’s chief legal counsel Atty. Israelito Torreon said.
As the police search of the KOJC compound for the fugitive pastor Apollo Quiboloy entered its 14th day, Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa presided over a hearing of the Senate Justice and Human Rights Subcommittee yesterday to investigate the ongoing Philippine National Police (PNP) operation at the KOJC compound in Davao City.
Dela Rosa said the committee aims to investigate several issues that have emerged since the PNP began their operation at the KOJC compound on August 24.
These include the alleged violation of the civil and political rights of KOJC members, students, parents, and other individuals; the reported damage to property after police officers dug into the basement of Jose Maria College; the effectiveness of PNP equipment used to detect a heartbeat in an underground bunker; and the Court of Appeals’ nullification of a temporary protection order previously issued by a Davao City court.
“I wonder if high confidence can compensate for low returns and low morale especially if the latter come allegedly at the expense of the most fundamental human rights,” Dela Rosa said.
Before the hearing, Dela Rosa and other subcommittee members conducted an ocular inspection of the KOJC compound Friday morning.
Meanwhile, the Office of the City Building Official (OCBO) of Davao City denied the request of the Police Regional Office-Davao (PRO-11) for the master plans and building plans of the structures inside the KOJC compound.
“We’ve had previous attempts to get them but we did not want to broadcast our intention,” PRO-11 Director, Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III, said.
KOJC’s chief legal counsel, Atty. Israelito Torreon, said the denial of the request is in accordance with the law.
“Thank you very much for doing that because that is in accordance with law. This matter, if they want to do that, needs judicial imprimatur,” he said.
According to OCBO, the request can only be granted if there is a valid court order.
Last Thursday, OCBO officials went to the compound to inspect the alleged excavation at the basement of the Jose Maria College Building but they could not get in because of a police barricade.
